I recently returned to Budapest, and had the best time. Brandon and I only stayed five days when we visited four years ago. This year, we were able to spend twice as long, which allowed us to really explore the city and live like the locals. We rented an Airbnb apartment in the Jewish Quarter, which is centrally located and full of bars and restaurants. 

I had to start my Budapest food journey at the mecca, Great Market Hall. This huge indoor market is packed with locals and tourists. The first floor is filled with vendors selling fresh fruits and veggies, as well as meats, cheeses, and spices. 

I also checked out Kiosk, a cute outdoor cafe offering set lunch menus. For about $6.00, I had a caprese salad, curry chicken with rice, and tapioca pudding. With a glass of rose, it was the perfect summer lunch. 

One of my favorites from last trip was Callas Cafe, directly across from the Opera House. The Opera House itself is stunning...architecturally gorgeous, with an interesting history. It's definitely worth touring, or even getting tickets to a show. 

I went back to Callas to try some Hungarian sparkling wine...and a little dessert. The chocolate was ridiculously decadent. 

Budapest has some great museums. I spent an afternoon exploring the Ludwig Museum, which houses a contemporary collection in a shared arts space. I saw the Women in Chanel photography exhibit, which was predictably beautiful. I also discovered the permanent works, some of which provided really fascinating takes on Hungary's communist past.

I had too much fun in Budapest for just one post...more to come!

While in Athens, I had to return to Cremino. I've written about it once before--it's a tiny and charming shop near Plaka, with the most incredible ice cream. The dedicated and incredibly kind owner makes small batches, using cow and buffalo milk, and ingredients including fresh fruit, nuts, spices, and even beer. I've never met a flavor there I didn't like...from pistachio to watermelon to grape.

I recently tried kaimaki--a traditional Greek flavor made from buffalo milk and mastic (a type of plant resin from the mastic tree). It has a different consistency than regular ice cream...stickier and a little messy, but absolutely delicious. I tried it with sour cherry syrup, which is the customary way to serve it). It was amazing.

Since it was my first time tasting kaimaki, I had to capture it on video. I actually really enjoyed it, and thought the sour cherry syrup was a nice touch. 

I also played tourist and did some walking around the Plaka neighborhood. While a bit touristy, it is also very charming and filled with history (it's one of the oldest neighborhoods in Athens). One of my favorite things about the neighborhood is the charming, winding old streets. I also love that you can walk a few blocks and be at the foot of the Acropolis. Plaka remains one of my must-dos in Athens. 

My week in Athens flew by...I'm already plotting my return trip!

Photo credit: Anna Tagk

Athens is one of my favorite cities. It's obviously beautiful and filled with history, and the food is beyond delicious. Really though, I love the Athenian people. Both times that I've visited, I've met the kindest, funniest, warmest people. I'm always inspired by the fact that the people in Athens continue living life to the fullest, no matter what else is going on around them.

My friend Anta suggested the most amazing neighborhood restaurant for dinner. Mezeklik, in the Argyroupoli area, is the perfect place to satisfy your seafood craving. Everything was fantastic, but I especially enjoyed the little fish, lightly fried in olive oil and garlic. The eggplant dip, mussels, and octopus were also very good. 

We equally loved the Zillers, a cool new boutique hotel and restaurant with killer views of the Acropolis. I had a yummy salad with the freshest greens, cherry tomatoes, and goat cheese. The lamb was also phenomenal. 

I'm also obsessed with greek donuts, or loukoumades. I had so many of them during my time in Greece, and found a place not far from the center in Athens that specializes in just donuts. 

On our last full day in Athens, Anta took us to Olympion, a cafeteria style, very local spot that we never would have found on our own. The dishes were all amazing. We also stopped at Kain, which was the perfect place for a Sunday afternoon coffee or cocktail. I had one of each.

For a day trip, I recommend Cape Sounion. It's only about an hour outside the city, but feels much further away. The beach is beautiful and peaceful, and you can see ancient ruins (the Temple of Poseidon). Only in Greece...

I have to be completely honest. Rhodes is not my favorite island in Greece. When I compare it to Crete, Santorini, or Mykonos, it just comes up a little short. There are, however, some beautiful beaches and great restaurants. St. Paul's Bay is beautiful. Tsambika Beach and the nearby monastery of the same name are definitely worth seeing. Agatha Beach is lovely. 

The food is not as good as it is on some other Greek islands, but Marco Polo Cafe, in historic Rhodes Town, is the real deal. It is so good that we ate there twice. Rhodes also has a wine region, but it truthfully wasn't worth the drive. Wineries in Crete and Santorini are considerably better. Rhodes clearly wouldn't be my first choice for vacation, but if I ever go back, I'm hitting the beaches and going to Marco Polo.

I absolutely adore Crete. I was there two years ago, when I first fell in love. I wondered whether this trip would be any different...after all, we were returning with a baby, and for a longer period of time. I'm glad we spent a few weeks, because it allowed me to develop an even greater appreciation (ok, love) for the island, it's culture, and of course, the food and wine.

I discovered a great winery near Chania. Manousakis Winery is an absolute must-do, in my opinion. It was such an amazing experience that I bought a shirt at their shop. I don't even wear t-shirts, lol. I went with Brandon, Lily, and our cousin for some wine tasting and lunch, but it turned into an afternoon of Greek food and dance. We were lucky enough to meet the owner and his lovely family. Incidentally, a Cretan dance group was at the estate at the same time. We hit it off, and they were kind enough to invite us to join them in some traditional Cretan dances. It was once of the most memorable experiences I've had in Greece. Beyond that, the wine is phenomenal. The reds and whites are all very solid, but I fell in love with the rose. It was perfectly dry, and perfect for drinking on a hot summer day. 

We also returned to nearby Karavitakis. They were harvesting, so we weren't able to do the tour as we did the first time, but we were able to taste some great complex reds.

Of course, we had to stop to get our favorite olive oil, at Terra Creta, in the same area. Brandon and I became addicted to their olive oil and balsamic vinegar combo during our last visit, so we had to pick up a couple. 

Greek food is one of my favorites, so it was very difficult to have a bad meal. One standout was the octopus carpaccio at Salis in Chania. Also, Ferryman Restaurant in Elounda was so amazing that we went twice. The cheese pies and fried cod appetizer were absolutely worth repeating.

We spent a few days in Heraklion, and returned to Erganos. It's still one of my favorite restaurants in Greece...it did not disappoint. Just outside of Heraklion, we found another fantastic winery. Stilianou is a small family operation with limited production. Despite their small size, their wines are big and bold. Their white, reds, and rose were all outstanding. 

It goes without saying that the beaches are the biggest draw on the Greek islands. Elafonissi on the Southwest side was stunningly beautiful, and I still love Falassarna beach for swimming and hanging out. 

I'm already trying to make plans to be in Crete next summer. Two years is too long to stay away!

Florence is a special place. I recently returned, after fourteen years. Thankfully, it was just as stunning as I'd remembered. Hot...but gorgeous nonetheless.

Obviously, Florentine food is amazing. My favorite was Gesto. Outside the touristy center and across the bridge, I felt like I was back on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Writing your order on a chalkboard felt creative, not contrived. I had the best salmon tartare, as well as yummy meatballs and veal. The cheesecake was perfect and not too sweet. 

Speaking of sweet...my favorite gelato was at Eduardo. I tasted a few flavors and liked them all, but the red wine sorbet was the real standout. It was just like red wine--the perfect summer treat for a wine lover like myself.

I also loved Procacci, a cute little champagne bar and gourmet shop located near the Piazza della Repubblica. My husband Brandon and I had Siberian caviar with buttered toast points...delicious! The prosecco was nice and refreshing, especially on a sweltering summer day.

While in Tuscany, Brandon and I renewed our wedding vows at a villa on the outskirts of Florence (ten years married and fifteen years together, which of course means I was a child bride). Tuscany provided the ultimate backdrop. It was the perfect way to end our time in Italy. 

I plan to return soon...I'm definitely not letting another fourteen years pass! Until then, I'll have plenty of great Tuscan memories.

Rome is truly a magical city. I would say I fall more in love with each visit, but...it was unreasonably hot and humid on this third and most recent visit. I still love the city--just not as much in the middle of summer.

Still, I managed to have a lot of great food and make some scrumptious new finds. I really appreciate how accessible delicious food is in Rome, from good and cheap neighborhood markets to tiny local restaurants serving amazing pasta and meats. At Mercato Trionfale, the huge food market, my husband and I had the best porchetta sandwich. We also had some local wine (two cups for one euro)...it was so shockingly good that we came back to the stall with salami and pecorino romano to enjoy a few more glasses. Le Palme Due, an unassuming little restaurant, had some of the best black pepper mussels (see previous post--I am addicted) and classic pizzas. 

The meal that made me evaluate my life though, was at Osteria Bonelli. It is definitely not on any tourist lists. It's outside central Rome, and a decent cab ride away from anything you might recognize. It's the lone restaurant in a working-class, very residential neighborhood. Everything is in Italian, but there is a very nice lady who translates for the few English speakers. The food is amazing!!! I had rabbit with white wine sauce and thyme--absolutely incredible. For dessert, I had black truffle ice cream. Words cannot even describe how yummy it was. Bonelli keeps costs down by being no frills...to the point that we were told we couldn't have separate water and wine glasses, lol. With food that good, who cares? We ended the night at forty-five euros for a pasta, two entrees, and two desserts. Worth every penny, times two. If you are thinking about being anywhere near Rome, don't miss this gem.

Unfortunately, all of my Rome food photos were deleted by me in an overly ambitious effort to create more storage space. Everything is still on Instagram (eatdrinktravelgirl). 

Capri...where do I even begin? I fell totally, completely in love. Photos really don't do it justice, but I'll try do my best.

The beaches are phenomenal. Exactly what Italian beaches should look like in the summer. The food is amazing. The villages are picturesque. The people are warm. In other words, summering in Capri is very hard work, lol. I am considering putting it on my list of places to go if something serious goes down in the states.

Of course, I had to eat my way through Capri. The caprese salad and ravioli caprese were predictably good (especially the fried ravioli), but I found a lot of other great regional items. The homemade pasta with shrimp and asparagus was one of my favorites. I also had a variation with a pistachio pesto sauce...delish. 

My absolute favorite place was Gelateria Buonocore. Open all day (and most of the night), I went there in the mornings to get the best cappuccino and lemon pastries. In the evenings, I'd stop by for some of the best gelato I've ever had. Italian perfection. 

While the village of Capri offers plenty of great restaurants and shopping, I really fell in love with quieter Anacapri. It is stunningly beautiful and offers great sunsets. There was even a pizza and craft beer festival happening while we were in town--obviously, I had to partake. 

One of my favorite experiences was taking a boat tour around the island. If you have a few people, it's definitely worth chartering a boat for half a day. I highly suggest skipping the touristy Blue Grotto and seeing all of the other amazing grottoes and swimming spots, which are just as gorgeous and feel much more authentic. 

We also took a day trip to Positano, where I became with black pepper mussels. They're just as yummy as they sound. 

Capri is now one of my ultimate summer destinations. I hope to go back one day soon!